"Hana Abdi had been sentenced to five years in prison in the town of Garmey but after we objected to the verdict, the appeals court sentenced her to 18 months in prison to be served in (her hometown) Razan," Mohammad Sharif said.

In December last year, the official IRNA news agency quoted a judge as saying that Abdi had been arrested with another woman -- Ronak Safarzadeh -- for "acting against national security by taking part in attacks in Sanandaj and for being members of the militant group PJAK."

The Kurdish rebel group PJAK (Party of Free Life of Kurdistan), has claimed a string of deadly attacks against Iranian security forces in northwestern Iran in recent years.

Iran's Kordestan, Kermanshah and West Azarbaijan provinces on the border with Iraq all have substantial Kurdish populations. Sanandaj is the capital of Kordestan province.

The lawyer said that Safarzadeh was still awaiting the outcome of her appeal in the case although she had been sentenced in a separate case that had also prompted an appeal.

"She has not been sentenced in this case yet. However she has been given a verdict of nine months imprisonment and a two million rial (200 dollar) fine in another case," Sharif said.

"In that case, she was convicted of illegally leaving Iran and possessing satellite equipment. We have objected to the verdict and we are awaiting the decision of the appeals court."

Both women have remained in custody in Sanandaj since their arrest in October last year.

Abdi is 23 and Safarzadeh 24, according to the Kargozaran daily.

The two women were part of a nationwide campaign to collect a million signatures in favour of changing Iranian laws that they say discriminate against women.

Their detention drew criticism from international human rights groups.